Spirometers are a medical device used to measure respiration flow rates in the lungs. They record the amount of air breathed in and out over a specific period of time and are used to test the condition of a patient's lungs. Diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma can be tested for with this device. It is often used to find out the cause of shortness of breathe, to assess lung function due to contaminants, the effects of medications, and the progression of disease.
Based on a patient's sex, ethnicity, height, and age normal results can be determined. Values below 80 percent are considered to be abnormal, but the range can vary when using different labs. Nose clips are worn and the patient is asked to breathe through a mouthpiece. This forced and fast breathing can sometimes cause a temporary shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
An abnormal result can indicate a lung or chest disease. Diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and infections can cause the lungs to take longer to empty and they can contain too much air. These are called obstructive lung disorders. Some diseases can cause the lungs to be scarred and become smaller so that they do not transfer oxygen into the blood and they contain too little air. Illnesses that contribute to this are being extremely overweight, sarcoidosis and scleroderma, lung cancer, and fibrosis of the lungs.
There is minimal risk in taking this test for most people. Occasionally there is a risk of a collapsed lung in those with certain lung diseases. People who have recently had a heart attack or other types of heart disease should not take this test.
Cooperation is of the utmost importance when taking this test for the best results. The mouthpiece seal must be tight or the results will be bad and difficult to interpret. Smoking is not advised for at least 4 to 6 hours beforehand and do not eat a heavy meal prior to testing. People who use inhaler medications or a bronchodilator will get special instructions.
Nitrogen or helium gases are also used to measure lung volume. The gas is breathed through a tube for a specific amount of time. Tracer gas is used in diffusion measurements and requires that one breathe of this harmless gas is taken for a specified amount of time and then measured as the patient exhales. The difference in the amount breathed in versus breathed out is measured to check for the movement of oxygen flowing into the bloodstream.
This test is a routine part of a physical and can alert the physician to possible problems with lung function for early detection and treatment. It is non-invasion and of minimal discomfort to the patient while being performed. It takes but a few minutes to get an accurate assessment of how the lungs are functioning.
Since the ancient Greeks used the first spirometers in 129 A. D. By creating a primitive bladder method to measure the capacity in a boy's lungs to today's methods developed in 1974, this device is an accurate way to measure the lung volume and to assist in the early detection of disease and the monitoring of medications.
Based on a patient's sex, ethnicity, height, and age normal results can be determined. Values below 80 percent are considered to be abnormal, but the range can vary when using different labs. Nose clips are worn and the patient is asked to breathe through a mouthpiece. This forced and fast breathing can sometimes cause a temporary shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
An abnormal result can indicate a lung or chest disease. Diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and infections can cause the lungs to take longer to empty and they can contain too much air. These are called obstructive lung disorders. Some diseases can cause the lungs to be scarred and become smaller so that they do not transfer oxygen into the blood and they contain too little air. Illnesses that contribute to this are being extremely overweight, sarcoidosis and scleroderma, lung cancer, and fibrosis of the lungs.
There is minimal risk in taking this test for most people. Occasionally there is a risk of a collapsed lung in those with certain lung diseases. People who have recently had a heart attack or other types of heart disease should not take this test.
Cooperation is of the utmost importance when taking this test for the best results. The mouthpiece seal must be tight or the results will be bad and difficult to interpret. Smoking is not advised for at least 4 to 6 hours beforehand and do not eat a heavy meal prior to testing. People who use inhaler medications or a bronchodilator will get special instructions.
Nitrogen or helium gases are also used to measure lung volume. The gas is breathed through a tube for a specific amount of time. Tracer gas is used in diffusion measurements and requires that one breathe of this harmless gas is taken for a specified amount of time and then measured as the patient exhales. The difference in the amount breathed in versus breathed out is measured to check for the movement of oxygen flowing into the bloodstream.
This test is a routine part of a physical and can alert the physician to possible problems with lung function for early detection and treatment. It is non-invasion and of minimal discomfort to the patient while being performed. It takes but a few minutes to get an accurate assessment of how the lungs are functioning.
Since the ancient Greeks used the first spirometers in 129 A. D. By creating a primitive bladder method to measure the capacity in a boy's lungs to today's methods developed in 1974, this device is an accurate way to measure the lung volume and to assist in the early detection of disease and the monitoring of medications.
About the Author:
You can visit the website www.henanmedical.com for more helpful information about Spirometers - Why They Are Used
No comments:
Post a Comment